Kylie + Garibay

Kylie + Garibay
EP by Kylie Minogue and Fernando Garibay
Released	11 September 2015 (2015-09-11)
Recorded	February–August 2015
Genre	Electronic
Length	12:21
Label	Parlophone Warner Bros.
Producer	Fernando Garibay Giorgio Moroder
Kylie Minogue and Fernando Garibay chronology
Sleepwalker (2014)Sleepwalker2014 Kylie + Garibay (2015)

Kylie + Garibay (titled Black and White on Minogue's website) is the second collaborative extended play (EP) by Australian singer Kylie Minogue, and American producer Fernando Garibay. It was released on 11 September 2015 by Parlophone and Warner Bros. Records, and serves as a sequel to their first collaboration, Sleepwalker (2014). Produced by Garibay and Italian disc jockey Giorgio Moroder, the three-track EP was developed between February and August 2015, shortly after Minogue's departure with Parlophone and American-based management Roc Nation. Musically, it is influenced by electronica, ambient house and, in a departure for Minogue reggae and dancehall. Its lyrical content completes an story arc, begun with their previous EP, from loss to recovery.

Released with no prior announcement, Kylie + Garibay received positive reviews from most music critics. Majority of the reviews highlighted Minogue's return to mainstream dance music, and complimented the production by Garibay and Moroder. The EP's lead track "Black and White" received an accompanying music video directed by long time friend and collaborator Katerina Jebb, and even though intended as a low key underground project garnered acclaim in regions including Australia, France, Spain, and the United Kingdom. As a surprise, the singer appeared at Moroder's Los Angeles, California gig to play and sing along to their track, "Your Body".

Background and development

Giorgio Moroder in 2015

In March 2014, Minogue released her twelfth studio album, Kiss Me Once.^[1] Achieving positive reviews and experiencing moderate commercial success,^[2][3] she subsequently commenced her Kiss Me Once Tour through Europe and Australia, between September that year to March 2015.^[4] During the first leg of her tour, the singer featured a short film titled Sleepwalker, which was presented to the audience before the beginning of the show. Produced by American producer Fernando Garibay, the tracks from the short film were distributed on Minogue's SoundCloud channel on 26 September 2014; the "experimental" recordings are "Glow", "Wait", "Break This Heartbreak", and "Chasing Ghosts".^[5][6] In January 2015, Italian disc jockey Giorgio Moroder confirmed a new musical project with Minogue and Garibay, revealing to American website Idolator: "She is doing another EP with our friend Fernando who did most of Lady Gaga's Born This Way." He described the approach as "very sexy and uncommercial".^[7]

However, a year after Kiss Me Once's release, Minogue's contract with Parlophone ended.^[5] Alongside this, she announced her departure from Roc Nation as she planned "to take more control over her career.".^[8] Minogue began negotiations with a number of major labels around this time, ultimately signing to BMG Rights Management in December 2016, licensing other projects from her own production company to previous label Parlophone Records and Warner Bros. Records in the interim period. In an interview with Billboard, Minogue commented about her working with Garibay: "It was a beautiful thing, because we did it in our own time... Whenever I was in L.A., I would drop by [Garibay's] home studio—which is a lovely place to be anyway—and really there was no pressure. It was just about expression and kind of mashing things up...".^[9] Jamaican artist Shaggy was first suggested by Garibay's manager, Martin Kierszenbaum, who felt it would have been a workable duet as both Shaggy and Minogue had known each other prior to this project.^[9]

Composition

Shaggy in 2006

Kylie + Garibay was developed and recorded between February—August 2015.^[10] Originally, Minogue wanted to feature four recordings but narrowed it down to three for unknown reasons.^[7] Each track features guest vocalists; "Black and White" features vocals during the bridge and ending section by Shaggy, "If I Can't Have You" includes vocals by Australian singer Sam Sparro, and the final track, "Your Body", includes spoken word and production by Giorgio Moroder.^[10] Apart from the second track, "Black and White" and "Your Body" were co-written and co-composed by Minogue.^[10] Likewise, Garibay produced the entire project with the help of Moroder on the latter song.^[10] Musically, Kylie + Garibay is influenced by electronic music whilst its lyrical content delves onto love, enjoyment, and sex; according to Bradley Stern, writing for MuuMuse, he noted that "The 3-track set is another forward-thinking, shape-shifting offering, each with a different feature and feel."^[11] Likewise, Idolator's Mike Wass commented that "he tone is very different this time", labelling it more "accessible" in comparison to Minogue's and Garibay's "experimental" elements on tracks "Walk" and "Chasing Ghosts".^[12]

"Black and White" was described by Stern as a "beautiful and bizarre pop hybrid", and noted it "set the tone" of the EP. With this statement, he compared the composition to American DJ and producer, Kaskade.^[11] Robbie Daw from Idolator found that the sound was reminsisent of Minogue's previous work, whilst Digital Spy writer, Lewis Corner, labelled the sound as "warm".^[13][14] Lyrically, the song delves into a broken relationship, where Minogue explains her sadness of looking at photographs of a previous boyfriend.^[11] The next track, "If I Can't Have You", is a house composition that incorporates elements of tropical music. Sparro's vocals are "breathy falsetto", in comparison to his previous work.^[11] The final track, "Your Body", was noted by critics for Moroder's Italian introduction, where he stated: "she [Minogue] asked me if I could do a little talk in Italian on her music. She wanted it really sexy, like a Latin lover – heavy breathing."^[7] Christina Lee from Idolator, who reviewed the song from a live performance, said the song "is just as the electronic music trailblazer described: sexy, seductive and more ambient...".^[15] Pitchfork Media writer, Zoe Camp, compared the sound of the track to the work of Swedish musician, Robyn.^[16]

Release and promotion

Despite her contractual end with Parlophone Records in March 2015, Kylie + Garibay was licensed by Minogue's own production company on 11 September that same year by the Parlophone label, alongside Warner Bros. Records, with no prior announcement.^[10] It was distributed on iTunes Store, and Spotify by Parlophone, featuring the three tracks.^[17][18] On her website, the singer commented: "I’m so happy to finally be able to share these songs with fans. And to have each track featuring such amazing and different artists – Shaggy, Giorgio Moroder and Sam Sparro – is a real thrill. Fernando really lives and breathes for music, and we had a lot of fun plotting to surprise fans with these songs."^[19] The EP and separate project Kylie Christmas, also released in 2015, were the final projects Minogue would work on with Parlophone and Warner Bros. Records to date, albeit with both releases remaining under ownership of Minogue and licensed to her old labels, with whom she still considered 'family'.^[20]

Prior to its release, Minogue, Garibay, and Moroder appeared at a musical gig in February 2015 that had Moroder as the headlining act in Los Angeles, California; they collectively performed a live version of "Your Body".^[15] Subsequently, Minogue released the music video to "Black and White" on YouTube, which was directed by English artist and Minogue's long-term friend, Katerina Jebb, in order to promote the EP.^[21] The visual was inspired by old footage film, where the singer wanted to place herself in a vintage-oriented set-up; in order to achieve this, video editor Benjamin Ricart created "old grainy" and "damaged" overlaps.^[21][11] Noted by critics for its stripped down appeal and lack of "polished" looks, Jordan Miller from Breatheheavy.com compared the video to the visual work to American musician Lana Del Rey, whom was also noted for her use of vintage footage and editing.^[22]

Reception

Kylie + Garibay received positive reviews from most music critics. Bradley Stern from MuuMuse gave positive prospects towards "mid-transition". Stern further noted the EP's musical and production similarities to the singer's work on her 1997 album Impossible Princess; he concluded "As it turns out, IndieKylie is alive and well. This is a very good thing."^[11] Zoe Camp, writing for Pitchfork Media, highlighted "Your Body" as the best entry on the EP. She complimented Moroder's vocal inclusion, and commended the 80's music influences in the track.^[16] Billboard editor, Keith Caulfield, opened his article with "When a megastar like Kylie Minogue drops new music out of the sky without warning, it’s a pop emergency of the best kind." He reflected on the EP's release, commending the production and inclusions of Shaggy, Giorgio Moroder, and Minogue's vocals.^[9] A low key, experimental project it was not expected to be commercially successful. However Kylie + Garibay and its three songs appeared on iTunes charts across the world instantaneously, including the United Kingdom, Australia, France and Spain.

Track listing

Personnel

Credits adapted from the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA).^[23]

• Kylie Minogue – lead vocals, background vocals
• Fernando Garibay – production
• Giorgio Moroder – production

Charts

Release history

References

External links

• Kylie + Garibay at Minogue's official website